Window structure



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WS' /l//l wnllll c. D. RossBAcH WINDOW STRUCTURE Oct. 3o, 1956v Filed Oct. 28, 1952 c. D. RossBAcH 2,768,412

WINDOW STRUCTURE 2 sheets-shew 2 oct. y3o, 1956 Filed Oct. 28, 1952 l. Elin WINDOW 'STRUCTURE Charles D. Rossbach, Oak Park, Ill.

Application October 28, 1952, Serial No. 317,284

5 Claims. (Cl. 20-70) The present invention relates, in general, to windows, and more particularly to windows of the sort provided in church structures and other monumental buildings.

Window structures of the character mentioned may comprise a sash member mounted within a frame sealed in a wall opening of the building in which the window structure is mounted. The sash member in such structures may be fixed in closed position inthe window frame, or may be slidably mounted to move between open and closed positions. Frequently the sash is mounted for tilt/ ing or hinged movement in its frame to allow the sash to be opened for ventilation purposes, means being provided for making the structure substantially weather-proof around the sash and within the frame, when the sash is in relatively closed position. Such windows, when closed, may :collect moisture through condensation on the inner surface of the window structure, especially when the atmospheric temperature outwardly of the window is cooler than that prevailing within the building in which the window is mounted. Furthermore, rain or other atmospheric moisture may penetrate through the window frame to the inner side of the sash, ifthe window should remain open or partially open during periods of inclement weather through accident or carelessness upon the part of care-taking personnel, or because of leakage due to broken window panes, or through defective installation of the panes.

An important object of the present invention is to provide, in a window structure of the character mentioned, effective means for disposing of moisture which may accumulate upon or penetrate to the inner side o f the window either as the result of moisture condensation upon the sash, or penetration of atmospheric moisture through the window structure when in open or partially open, broken or defective condition; a further object being to provide means for retaining such moisture in the window structure, thereby preventing the same from dripping or seeping upon the inner walls of the building in which the window structure is mounted.

Another important object is to provide means, in a window structure of the character mentioned, for collecting moisture condensing upon or penetrating to the inner side of the window sash, said means providing either for the evaporation of such moisture to atmosphere inwardly of the window structure, or for the discharge of collected moisture through the window structure and outwardly of the building in which the same is mounted.

Another important object is to provide a window frame structure formed with channels or passageways therein, as at the bottom of the structure, for the discharge of moisture from the inner to the outer side thereof, said passageways having tortuous configuration to substantially prevent the inward ow of air therethrough without, however, interfering with the movement of liquid in said passageways.

Numerous other important objects, advantages, and inherent functions of the invention will become ymore apparent as the same is more fully understood from the United States Patent 2 following description which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a face view of a window structure embodying the present invention;

Figs, 2 and 3 are enlarged sectional views taken substantially along the lines 2-2 and 3-3 in Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken substantially along the line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

To illustrate the invention, the drawings show a por.; tion of a building wall 11 formed with a window opening 12 therethrough, a window structure 13 embodying the present invention being fitted within the opening 12.

As shown, the window structure 13 comprises a preferably rectangular frame 14 as of metal, such as steel, embodying spaced side members 15, a top member 16, and a bottom member 17, the frame being snugly and sealingly tted within the opening 12. The window structure may also include a sash portion 18 .comprising a peripheral frame member 19 sized to t within the frame 14, a spacing member 20 mounted on and extending within the peripheral frame member 19, said spacing member being preferably mounted medially of the peripheral frame member to form spaced apart outwardly facing seats for the reception of the marginal edges of window panes 21 which may be secured within the frame member 19 against the spaced shoulders provided by the spacing member 20, as by means of putty 22.

While the present invention is not necessarily limited to window structures embodying a movable sash in the frame 14, the sash 18, as shown, may be mounted for tilting movement in the frame 14 about a horizontal axis to open and close the window structure. To this end the sash 18 may be provided with outstanding pivot pins 23 mounted in coaxial alignment and substantially medially of the opposite sides of the sash 1S, said pins preferably penetrating both the channel member 20 and the peripheral frame member 19, and serving to rivet the same t0- gether and to firmly mount the pins 23 on the sash. The channel member 20 may, of course, be secured to and within the peripheral frame member 19 at intervals, as by welding or riveting the parts together to integrate the same.

In order to provide for mounting the sash tiltably within the frame 14, said frame 14 may be formed with bearings for the pins 23. To this end the frame 14 maybe formed with downwardly and inwardly inclined slots 24 medially of the spaced side members 15, the inner ends of the slots 24 terminating in pin pockets 25 disposed substantially medially between theinner and outer sides of the frame 14. lf desired, the frame may be rigidiied at the slots 24 as by means of brackets 26 comprising sheet metal plates welded or otherwise secured to the inwardly facing surfaces of the side members of the frame, at and around slots 24. The foregoing arrangement allows the sash to be assembled in mounted position in the frame 14 by applying the projecting endsof the pins 23 each through the open end of its corresponding slot 24, and moving the pins into seating engagement in the pin pockets 25; and the sash, of course, may be disconnected and removed from the frame 14 merely by moving it in a direction to withdraw the pins 23 outwardly through the slots 24.

The inner edge of the bottom member 17 and the lower portions of the side members 15 at the inner edges thereof imay be, and preferably are, formed with flange portions 27 which extend inwardly of said frame members 15 and 17 in position to overlie the inner edges of the Sash frame 19, said flange portions 27 being preferably formed inte= gral with the frame members 15 and 17. The inwardly extending edges of the ange portion 27 maybe, and

preferably are, formed with an inwardly turned lip 28 adapted to enclose the inner edge portions of the sash frame 19, when the sash is in closed position in the frame 14. Reenforcing means, comprising metal strips 29, may be secured tothe frame 19 along the inner edge thereof, said strips tting snugly within the lip portions Z3 when the window is in closed positionl The opposite or outer edge of the sash frame 19 may be provided with an outwardly extending ange along the bottom of the sash frame and in the lower portions of the opposite sides thereof, such flange extending in position to abut he outer edges of the bottom member 17 of the frame 14 and also the outer edges of the side members 1S yof said frame, to aid in sealing rthe sash in closed position in the frame 14. The outer side of the frame 14 may also be provided with inwardly extending flange portions 7.7 having inwardly turned lip portions 28 formed on the top niember 16 and on the upper portions of the side member 1S of the frame 14; and rigidifying strips 29' may be secured to the outer edges of the sash frame 19 in position to snugly interfit within the flange and lip porti-ons 27 and 28 when the sash is in window closed position, such structure aiding in sealing the sash in closed position with the frame 14.

The upper portions of the sash frame, on the inner edges thereof, may be `formed with an outstanding flange 30' in position to overlie and abut aga-inst the inner edge of the frame 14, at the top frame portion 16 and at the upper portions of the side members 15, in order to aid in sealing the sash in window closing position in thc frame 14. Latch means 31 may be provided at the top of the sash in position for latching engagement with a keeper 32 secured on the frame 14, as at the top member 16 thereof. The latch 31 is preferably of the kind normally urged, as by means of a spring, into latched position on the sash; means comprising a pull chain 53, having a manually operable pull ring 34, being provided for shifting the latch 31 against its bias to releasing position. The pull chain 33 `may also be formed for detachable engagement in an anchorage `hook 35 on the `frame 14 in order to hold the sash at a desired inclination with respect to the frame 14, when in open position, the aligned pivot pins 23 being preferably disposed slightly above the center of gravity of the sash so that the same is normally urged toward closed position in `order that the sash may close by gravity action by releasing the pin 33 from the anchorage hook 35.

lf desired, a resilient metallic weather strip 35 may be secured along and inwardly of the bottom member 17 of the frame in position to sealingly engage the bottom of the sash frame 19 when the same is in window closed position. A similar weather strip, if desired, may be mounted on and within the top member 16 of the frame 14 to sealingly engage the top of the sash frame when the same is in window closed position.

It should be understood that the 'foregoing construction may be sealingly secured in the window opening 12 by any suitable or preferred sealing compound. In this connection, the wall surfaces dening the opening 12 are usually formed with sealing grooves 37, 37' for receiving outwardly extending sealing ribs 38, 3S on the frame 14. As shown, the groove 37 and rib 38 are formed at the bottom of the window structure, while the spaced parallel grooves 37 and the ribs 38 are disposed at the opposite sides of the window structure. The ribs 38 and 38 may conveniently comprise metal strips secured, as by means of screws, to the window frame 14. These strips may be applied in the grooves 37 and 37 and secured in place therein as by means of cement or other suitable sealing compound, after which the window frame 14 may be applied in position and secured to the embedded strips 33 and 38 as by means of fastening screws penetrating openings formed lin the frame and having threaded engagement in the embedded strips.

In order to catch and retain any moisture which may condense upon the inner surface of the inwardly facing window pane element 21 of the sash structure, or any rain or other atmospseric moisture which may penetrate to the inner side of the sash when the sash is in open position, the frame 14 is formed at its lower end with a moisture receptacle 39 on the inner side of the frame structure, which receptacle is connected with tortuous passageways leading from the receptacle to the opposite side of the window frame 14. As a consequence, any moisture which may collect in the receptacle may be discharged outwardly of the building in which the window structure is mounted through such tortuous passageways. To this end the receptacle 39 may comprise a relatively shallow, preferably metal, shell having a bottom wall 40, upstanding end walls 41, and an inner opstanding wall 42, the side of the shell opposite from the wall 42 being cntirely open. The shell 39 is mounted upon the `lower end of the frame 14, and is secured thereto in any preferred fashion, as by means of set screws or by welding the parts together, the lower portions of the side member 15 of the window frame being preferably cut away to receive the side walls 41 so that the outer surface of the frame member 15 and of the walls 41 may lie in a common plane. The lower portions of the frame 14 thus are mounted within the receptacle 39 between the walls 41 at the open side of the receptacle, with the bottom member 17 of the frame in spaced parallel relationship with respect to the bottom wall 40 of the receptacle. Means is provided in the space between the bottom member of the frame 14 and the bottom wall of the receptacle 39 to provide a multiplicity of tortuous passageways for the escape of liquid from the receptacle beneath the frame member 17 from the inner to the outer or weather exposed side of the frame, while substantially restricting and minimizing air ow through such passageways.

As shown, two or more rows of preferably metal strip sections 43 may be disposed in end-to-end alignment upon the bottom wall 40 of the receptacle 39, immediately beneath the bottom frame member 17, the strips having thickness such as to fill the space between the bottom frame member 17 and the bottom wall 40 of the receptacle, and being preferably secured, as by welding or otherwise, to the members 17 and 4i). The facing ends of the sections 43 are spaced apart to form openings 44, the openings 44 in one row of strip sections being relatively offset or staggered with respect to the openings of an adjacent row.

As a result of the foregoing arrangement, any liquid collecting in the receptacle 39 on the inner side of the window structure may be discharged outwardly of the window structure, through the tortuous channels formed by the relatively staggered openings 44 between the bottom frame member 17 and the bottom wall 40 of the receptacle. Air, of course, may also circulate through the tortuous passageways afforded by the relatively staggered openings 44. However, such circulation, of necessity, is of restricted or limited character, even though air in the form of heavy gusts of wind be applied at the outer side of the window structure. The present invention, accordingly, provides relatively simple and inexpensive means for obviating moisture discharge upon, and consequent damage to, the inner walls of buildings fitted withvwindows of the character herein described.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its lattendant advantages, the form herein disclosed being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A Ventilating window comprising a frame adapted to be secured in a wall window opening, a window sash movably mounted in said frame between window open and closed positions, and means formed on the lower portions of said window frame and providing a tortuous passageway therethrough opening at the inner and outer sides of the frame beneath said sash for the discharge of moisture from the inner to the outer side of said frame.

2. A Ventilating window comprising a frame adapted to be secured in a wall window opening, a window sash movably mounted in said frame between window open and closed positions, said frame being formed with a pan at its lower end including pan portions extending at the inner side of the frame for receiving and collecting moisture and including a pan bottom extending beneath the frame to the outer side thereof, and means disposed between the lower end of said frame and said pan bottom and defining a tortuous passageway for the delivery of liquid through said passageway and outwardly of the window frame from said moisture collecting pan portion.

3. A Ventilating window comprising a frame adapted to be secured in a wall window opening, a window sash movably mounted insaid frame between window open and closed positions, a moisture collecting and discharging pan formed on the lower end of said frame and comprising a pan bottom and upstanding walls extending beneath, at the opposite sides of, and inwardly of said frame in position to collect moisture inwardly of said frame, and means forming a tortuous passageway between the lower end of the frame and said pan bottom for the discharge of collected moisture outwardly of the frame at the lower end thereof.

4. A Ventilating window comprising a frame adapted to be secured in a wall window opening, a window sash movably mounted in said frame between window open and closed positions, means formed on the lower portions of said frame and providing a tortuous passageway 6 therethrough and opening at the inner and outer sides of the frame beneath said sash, said means comprising a pan extending beneath and inwardly of the frame at its lower end, and a plurality of spaced rows of bars disposed between and in engagement with the bottom of said frame and the bottom of said pan, the bars of each row being disposed in spaced end-to-end relationship affording gaps between said spaced ends, the bars of a row being relatively oifset or staggered with respect to the bars of a next adjacent row.

5. A Ventilating window comprising a window frame adapted to be secured in a wall Window opening, a window sash comprising a metal sash frame, alined pivot means formed on opposite sides of said window and sash frames for pivotally supporting the sash for swinging movement on the window frame, pane forming seat means comprising a metal channel secured within the sash frame in position forming oppositely facing pane seats therein, said pivot means comprising a pin extending through the sash frame and said channel and formed as a rivet to secure said seat forming channel in said sash frame.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 139,641 Widmann June 3, 1873 1,298,190 Eveleth Mar. 25, 1919 1,497,042 Taylor June 10, 1924 1,823,947 Macaulay et al. Sept. 22, 1931 1,945,816 Leigh Feb. 6, 1934 2,310,506 Bliss Feb. 9, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 557,472 Germany Aug. 27, 1932 

